Rebirth: The Shadow Of Greed

... Progressing further they gradually reached a dead end of the cave, Soli shined the light around the cave and eventually her eyes widened as she saw the figure in front of her.

"Zero! The bone we saw just now was definitely from a human."

Z and Odrunn walked over to the Soli as they saw the skull and a pile of bones scattered around.

"The bear must have got to him, how unfortunate, to think that there's someone else who ended up down here as well."

"Look at the wall! There are carvings on it"

'November 11th

The cave exit is guarded by a Warship level beast, I'm not sure how I can make it out alone.

The cave exit opened today, it's the same time as last year. Last year I didn't have the courage to face the beast, but this year I fought it, escaping while holding onto my dismembered arm. When will I get to see my family again?'

'November 14th,

I've been hearing weird sounds more and more often, sometimes I feel that my arm is still around, I tried to scratch my face the other day but only to realise I had already lost it. Something is stalking me, I can hear it from outside the cave... My water supply is running low and I'm afraid to go out to get more. I'm not at my full potential. I'm scared, scared of everything.'

"let's remove his commswatch and bury him, it's the least we could do. I'll have my family find the whereabouts of his kin."

Soli said, feeling a bit sorry for the pile of bones in front of her.

"I hope we can find his family... But... I hope we don't end up becoming like him..."

Odrunn looked down on the ground while he mumbled to himself.

"There's no need to worry about that, the opening of the exit is in November 11th, there are 5 months till the opening of the exit. Right now, what we can do is focus on our training as well surviving well."

Z spoke, looking at the two, the both of them nodded in agreement as they started to dig a hole to bury the bones within. As they held the commswatch, they looked at the inscription underneath it. 'Love you always PJ' Z kept the commswatch as they hurriedly finished their work.

_______________________________________

3 months later, in the Aquos family home,

"Dear, I know Soli means a lot to you... But its been three months, don't you think if they were to find her they would have already found her by now?"

Karin said, looking at her husband whose hair had turned grey over the past couple of months.

"Yes father dearest, we have to look towards the future, if we continue on this trajectory the family will see it as using the family resources for your own gain... Some will even revolt against you!"

A young boy just 12 years of age stood beside Karin as he tried to talk sense into Daymas Aquos. As his son to his second wife, he would only succeed his father's position if Soli and Soleil was taken out, with such a good opportunity presented to him it was needless to say that his mother had asked him to ruthlessly kick them down.

"Solun is right, if they start a coupe and try to take over the position, we'd be worse off. Please think about Soleil and Solun. They need you to be focused."

Daymas shook his head as he continued to look out of the window.

"I've received news that Addison is hunting the kids. Which meant that whatever Addison had done previously had failed. This is more than enough hope that she is still alive. If the family has anything to say, they can say it through strength."

Daymas was making the room uncomfortable with his bloodl.u.s.t, Solun doubled over clutching his stomach.

_________________________________

"Really? You brought back an ox beast again? I'm really sick of eating ox beast can't you hunt the beasts on the East Side or steal some eggs?"

Soli rolled her eyes as she skillfully dissected the meat before putting them at a corner and freezing them.

A 2 metre tall giant with toned a toned body and abs glistening with sweat came into view, the fat mess that was once Odrunn was no more, instead came a behemoth of a man that had his body whipped into shape with the help of his manifest.

"Oh come on Soli, the ox beasts are the easiest to hunt, I just have to grab them... Its like having a packed lunch. The beasts in the east, they are so fast! Even boss has difficulty catching them!"

"Odrunn! I heard that, I had difficulty in doing what?"

Z walked into the entrance of the cave holding onto what seemed to be a gazelle, dropping it in the floor.

"Boss! I don't mean it that way I meant, it will take up too much energy if you persisted in just catching those beasts. Ohhh anyway... It seems like your hypothesis was right and the dune worm only feeds during specific timings."

"Seems like you're very energetic today, we will move into the second stage of our training soon."

"But... We just finished the first phase of our training! you said we graduated! Don't we have a holiday after we graduate?"

Odrunn was tearing up, he had just endured a hellish training with Z and was not ready to dive headfirst into the next training.

"Let's not train just for today... Everyone's been working hard even you, Zero. Let's just rest for just one day."

Z smiled as he looked at his two companions, it indeed has been tough, for the past 3 months, they had spent a grueling 20 hours a day doing physical training only using food and their manifest as sustenance. Initially, Odrunn thought that he was really going to kick the bucket, with nothing more than his will-power and Z's scolding keeping him on the right track.